Flying through Sydney Kingsford-Smith's International terminal isn't always a pleasant departure, seeing as you're probably looking at 8-13 hours on a plane. Thus, those pre-departure hours are key for both relaxation and business, and the airport is finally upping its game in those areas with the debut of two completely new lounges.

The Opera House, Harbour Bridge, the ferry to Manly…every tourist to Sydney, Australia knows where to go, but Sydney happens to be home to the largest natural harbour in the world. It’s in and amongst those large sites you’ll find the smaller secrets, and we’re sharing a few of our favorites all this week.

As with every museum, there's a building with glassed-in exhibits, explanation plaques, and priceless artifacts; it's outside, at the docks, where the Maritime Museum really shines. You see, there's a submarine docked there. And a destroyer. And a patrol boat or two. And a humongous tall ship that's a full replica of the Endeavor which Captain Cook sailed around Australia and New Zealand in the late 1700s. You're welcome to board them all and have a look around, because the Australian National Maritime Museum is home to some of the best preserved examples of nautical history still in the water, still welcoming the public.

The Opera House, Harbour Bridge, the ferry to Manly…every tourist to Sydney, Australia knows where to go, but Sydney happens to be home to the largest natural harbour in the world. It’s in and amongst those large sites you’ll find the smaller secrets, and we’re sharing a few of our favorites all this week.

It’s pretty, as a garden island covered in palm trees, fresh-cut grass, wild tropical blooms would be, but it’s Shark Island’s location and serenity that truly makes this patch of only 3.7 acres something special in Sydney. By the way...there are no sharks; the island is so named due it's shape.

Shark Island has no buildings other than an open-air, Queen Anne-style picnic pavilion at its highest point and a few other scattered picnic alcoves. This betrays Shark Island’s chief activity; there’s nothing much else to do than lay on the beach or gaze out to the sailboat traffic of nearby Rose Bay.

The Opera House, Harbour Bridge, the ferry to Manly…every tourist to Sydney, Australia knows where to go, but Sydney happens to be home to the largest natural harbour in the world. It’s in and amongst those large sites you’ll find the smaller secrets, and we’re sharing a few of our favorites all this week.

So we've already noted that Sydney Harbour is more than just some water, but an entire national park of 970 acres. Well, all that space includes some truly picturesque bays, utilized for private moorings, public swimming areas, or protected marine environments. One in particular, Rose Bay, is home to over a century of aviation history and the very founding of commercial air travel in Australia.

Rose Bay was Sydney’s first international airport, owing to regular flying boat service from 1938 clear through 1974, when the land-based airport we now know as Kingsford-Smith got going. The first seaplane flight actually happened in neighboring Double Bay in 1914, making this year, 2014, the centenary anniversary of seaplanes in Australia.

The Opera House, Harbour Bridge, the ferry to Manly…every tourist to Sydney, Australia knows where to go, but Sydney happens to be home to the largest natural harbour in the world. It’s in and amongst those large sites you’ll find the smaller secrets, and we’re sharing a few of our favorites all this week.

Fun fact: Sydney Harbour is itself a giant park. Some 970 acres of waterways, islands, shores, beaches, and historic sites make up the Sydney Harbour National Park, and there’s no one better place to begin exploring it than Fort Denison, a tiny island which claims much less space than even one of those acres.

Known as "Mat-te-wan-ye” to the Aboriginals and “Pinchgut Island” to the military who arrived with the First Fleet in 1788, Fort Denison only earned its Fort title after 1862 and the establishment of a tower and sandstone fortifications. These days it’s home to a small maritime museum and restaurant, not to mention a traditional 1pm cannon firing to help mariners keep correct timing.

Alright you guys, listen closely because we have the some of the best news ever for travelers with Down Under on the to-do list. This very second is the best time to make moves on planning that trip to Australia.

Today may be the first official day of summer in Oz and sure, the temps are already very warm, but there's plenty season left for you to take advantage of the latest news: the Aussie dollar has hit a 4-year low against the U.S. dollar.

Basically what this means is that your money can now go much further than it has in the past 4 years. To be honest, we have battled with unfavorable exchange rates for about 8 years now. Looking at the numbers, each of our hard-earned greenbacks buys about $1.18 AUD, which turns out to be just under 25% more than in 2010. This can only mean one thing: souvenirs, tours and hotels booked in AUD are nearly 20% less expensive, and if you've been to Oz before, you know this is a helpful "markdown."

Katy Perry didn't make it to last night's American Music Awards, but she had a good excuse! Instead of on stage, she was busy sunning herself in Sydney and smiling on top of the famous Harbour Bridge.

The songstress did appear on the show via satellite from Australia after winning Single of the Year, Favorite Female Artist Pop/Rock, and Favorite Female Artist Adult Contemporary.

Katy spent most of Sunday hanging out with her entourage on a luxury yacht in Sydney Harbour. She went swimming, shared cocktails with friends, lounged on the deck and ate ice cream. She had plenty to celebrate, not only did she take home three AMAs, but it was also confirmed that she will perform at the Super Bowl in 2015.

Charley Boorman has taken the Long Way Round, the Long Way Down, tackled Extreme Frontiers, accepted the Race to Dakar, and traveled around the world By Any Means. Charley's next adventures will take him to Australia and North Africa, and this time you can join him for the ride.

As we mentioned yesterday, Qantas Airlines landed their Airbus A380 in Dallas yesterday from Sydney. The inaugural flight took about 15 hours, making it the world's longest route. It was also the first official arrival of the double-decker plane for the DFW airport.

Naturally, that's cause for celebration but since everything is bigger in Texas, Qantas really went all out in Terminal D for the plane's arrival, including a special appearance from Qantas Goodwill Ambassador, John Travolta.

We hate to alarm you, but the summer is quickly coming to an end. Before you know it, the cooler weather will be trickling in, and those pumpkin-flavored lattes will be hitting the bar at your favorite coffee shop. That’s why it’s time to plan one last quick getaway, and Labor Day Weekend is the time to do it.

We'll be the first to admit that Australia isn't the easiest destination to travel to, but sometimes all a bucketlist vacation needs is a holiday off to get the ball rolling. And, naturally, a our tips to making the best of the 14-hour flight. All things considered, this might be the time to score a great deal on a package to explore this beautiful country.

April 1 may be known for April Fools' Day pranks, but the United 777s that dotted the tarmac at Sydney Airport were no joke. Yesterday marked the first day for United's regular LAX and SFO service to Sydney to be operated by all 777-200s, instead of the older 747-400s. The last UA 747 to depart Sydney said "so long" on March 31, and with it goes the worst plane to fly between the US and Australia, in terms of passenger comfort and entertainment.

Our friends at Australian Business Travellerdetailed the change after it was announced, and noted that this means fewer seats in all classes. Overall, however, the news is excellent for travelers on the 14-hour non stop flights.